The basic technology of the silicon-based solar panel is at least 50 years old. At this point, market shifts are driven more by evolution than revolution. The little details are the differentiators.
When LG stopped manufacturing solar modules, we debuted REC’s Alpha Pure module as our premium product. And this is the module where the little details are just about perfect!
We have been very pleased with this product and manufacturer and have heard great feedback from our homeowners.
Aesthetics
Alpha Pure uses premium silicon cells, a gapless cell layout, and a black frame for a seamless aesthetic. These modules are gorgeous. 😍 (Is that weird? I don’t mind being weird. THEY’RE PRETTY AND I LIKE TO LOOK AT THEM, OK??)
Performance
Power density of 20.6 W/ft² and 22.2% efficiency puts them at the very top end of average. Like most premium modules, Alpha Pure is an N-type module.
BUT, in our experience, these modules punch way above their weight class.
Solar modules produce less power in hot weather, but Alpha Pure’s temperature coefficient is industry leading at -0.24%/°C. As our climate continues to warm, Alpha Pure will continue to perform better relative to other modules.
With a typical solar module, shading on part of the module affects production of the entire module. However, Alpha Pure uses a twinned, “half-cut” design (and the Alpha Pure-R uses a four-way junction box split!), so shading on half the module won’t impact the other half. In the beautifully forested Finger Lakes region, this is a serious performance advantage.
For contact points between cells, REC uses lots of thin, round wires, instead of busbars and ribbons. This means there are way more contact points and connections than a typical module, improving electron flow and performance. It also removes lead solder from the manufacturing process, which I appreciate as both an environmentalist and a mother.
Bottom line: REC warranties these modules to produce 98% of rated power in year 1 and 92% after 25 years, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many of our systems exceed this.
Warranty
Speaking of warranty – the best warranty is the one you don’t need to use – and you almost certainly won’t need to use REC’s warranty!
REC manufactures more than 4 million modules a year, and fewer than 400 are warrantied from the field with defects – literally an order of magnitude less than the competition.
Plus, because Sungineer Solar is an REC Certified Solar Professional, our systems come with a warranty extended to 25 year for product, performance, AND labor reimbursement.
Since I won’t hear from you after your install for a warranty claim, you’ll need to find another excuse to send me a photo of your dog wearing a silly hat (pretty please?).